San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-01-05
MUNICIPAL IMPROVEMENTS.

The history OF municipal improve
ford any reasonable ground Of belief
that any favorable results will be
reached by submitting the question OF
such impro vements TO a vote OF the peo-
pie. The people, as body, are utterly
Indifferent To matters OF municipal re-
form and sanitary improvements. The
majority OF men merely follow their
leaders and do not think and judge for
themselves concerning questions Of pub
lie interest. The cry Of increased ex-
pense, or heavy taxes, OF waste In the
the public service, CT any one OF the
scores that are always made to do duty
by those who have political axes to
grind, will always avail TO defeat the
most necessary measures for the public
health and the general comfort. To de-
lay the execution OF such plans for mu-
nicipal improvements as seem to he nee
essary, until the public will approve
them, is to postpone them indefinitely
Ii Il exceedingly difficult to convince
the average man and woman that new
ways are any better than old, new
methods any more desirable than
old methods, new ideas any
more benei fetal than the old ideas
to which they have grown ac-
customed and which have always APP
peared 10 answer every practical pur-
pose. Medical science has always found
this Indifference and prejuC Toes Of the
massrs a terrible obstacle In the way Of
any Improvement In medical appliances.
10 the Introduction of new preventive
or remedial measures. Sanitary science
is today meeting with the same opposi-
ton on the part Of the people, In many
sections OF the country, as medical
science has met with in the past. II j.
only when the few, instructed and dead
in earnest to the need of certain reforms.
compel BY the sheer force Of Will and
through the ministry Of legislative en-
actments the compliance OF the people
with certain improved and approved
methods Of municipal regulation that
such regulations become possible. The
fallacy that the voice of the people is
the voice OF God must be exploded be-
fore any very general Improvement In
public habits takes place. The mission
aries OF better things, the preachers OF
more perfect gospel of cleanliness and
healthfulness are always msrtyrs; but.
none the less the greater cleanliness and
the improved conditions Of living by
which the public health is to be i'm
proved, must be preached and the prac-
tices required to make it effectual rigid
" exacted. AS in all business so IL all
n unicipal and sanitary work, the few
must pioneer the way. and do 1t, gener-
ally. despite the opposition Of the many.
Thus must it be done in San Anto"iO
before we have any system of sewerage
In this city. 1t is idle to talk of waiting
until the people vote to establish such
system. Is it reasonable TO suppose
that those who are careless of their own
healths, have no concern for their own
premises, who throw out garbage as
water and have no conception of the
necessity of personal cleanIinness-is it
reasonable to suppose that such persons
will vote to sewer this city, especially
when the penny-wise and pound. foOli-h
cry In their ears-taxation, wasteful ex-
penditures, city debts. A general and
adequate system of sewerage will never
come that way. From all such fallacious
ideas the more enlightened and sensible
Of our citizens may as well deliver them
selves first as last. This business Of
providing for the health and cleanlin-
ness of this city is the business of the
city government. The common council
OF this city and the common council
alone can do IL, and until common
council Is chosen with brains and pub
lilo spirit and sufficient regard for the
public interests and the public good to
do this work, so necessary for our mum
cipsl present and future-until such
council is chosen and enters upon its
work without any regard TO the olamOrs
of ignorance, or the threats of avarice,
the work will never be undertaken,
much less contaminated. San Antonio
needs, and very badly needs city coun-
ell of broad, liberal, enlightened, nine
teenth century views; q council with
opinions concerning the needs of the
city and the best methods of supplying
them; a council having the 'urage OF
its opinions and as ready TO stand by
them when they do not meet the views
OF the masses as when they do. Such q
city council San Antonio needs above
everything else, and such city council
every wise citizen will assist in Cheating
next month.
THE beginning of the end, in the SET
Element OF the new customs and pOstot-
tioe building, has come. Uncle Samuel
approves Of the site on the corner of
Alamo plaza and Houston street, and all
that lie now needed before work is be-